A compact portable sensor that instantly measures the moisture, temperature and electrical conductivity (EC) of soils and substrates is being adopted by a growing number of legal cannabis farms.
The WET Sensor is manufactured by UK based Delta-T Devices and has been used extensively in world-wide horticulture for over a decade. The Sensor has become so highly regarded it was recently used by Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong-2 Space Station to cultivate lettuce plants within the weightless atmosphere.
Delta-T Devices’s Dr John Newstead says that there has been an increasing amount of interest from the medical marijuana industry in the WET Sensor, “There are major farms in the UK which are using our sensor and the feedback we have received has been very positive. We hope to assist many more growers with our proven technology.”
Hand-held device
Dr Newstead explains how the WET Sensor is used. “The commonest way is as a mobile hand-held device, taking multiple measurements of substrate conditions each day. These readings can be used to inform immediate irrigation and fertigation decisions - or stored on the accompanying HH2 Meter, to be downloaded later for archiving and analysis. The WET Sensor can also be used buried, connected to a suitable data logger for long term monitoring and control, or can be interfaced to larger control systems.”
WET Sensor substrate calibrations are available for growers using coir, peat, mineral wool, and potting soils. Up to five additional custom calibrations can be stored on the handheld meter. The WET Sensor’s strong sharp stainless steel rods are easy to push into substrates, minimising root and structural disturbance. Temperature measurement, essential for compensating the EC measurement, is taken down in the root zone, ensuring highest accuracy.
Management tool
Dr Newstead concludes, “For many leading growers the WET Sensor has become an indispensable management tool - with hundreds of readings taken on a daily basis throughout the growing season. Such accurate data can help ensure crops are grown under optimal conditions, contributing to higher crop quality and yields.”
Click here to find out more and view the WET Sensor explainer video.
For more information:
Delta-T Devices
130 Low Road
Burwell
Cambridge
CB25 0EJ
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1638 742922
F: +44 (0)1638 743155
sales@delta-t.co.uk
www.delta-t.co.uk